


Fam-ILY Dinner

by MadasaMoriarty



Series: Found Fam-ILY 'Verse [2]
Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Family Dinners, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Parents, Patton is an anxious baby, Which is a toss up I know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 16:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14429589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadasaMoriarty/pseuds/MadasaMoriarty
Summary: Patton has dinner with Virgil and his parents.He also maybe has a minor melt down.





	Fam-ILY Dinner

Patton fidgeted on the step, gripping the plate in his hands tight as he waited for the sound of the doorbell to fade and the door to open. He was meeting Virgil’s parents. Thomas’ family. He was going to have dinner with his brother’s family and meet the people who’d raised him. Meet the person he had become. Of course he’d already started that. He knew that Virgil was quiet and reserved, that he had panic attacks about the day Uncle had nearly killed Patton, that he had a hard time accepting the fact that people might accept  _ him.  _ But this was the first time since leaving the hospital that Patton was going to see Virgil, knowing that they were family. Blood family, not friend family. It felt different. It shouldn’t. Virgil hadn’t changed. But it did. 

He’d never met Virgil’s parents. He’d heard about them, occassionally seen them as they ducked out the door. They were busy folks and Patton had never been formally introduced. That was about to change. The door creaked open and Virgil was there, with an awkward smile and one hand shoved into the pocket of his hoodie. 

“Hey Pat.” 

“Hey kiddo!” Patton smiled huge his heart hammering. “I brought cookies! Now, I know you said I didn’t need to bring anything- but Mrs. S says it’s rude to show up anywhere without gifts and these were your favorite when we were little!” He fumbled the plate forward awkwardly, still grinning and blushing, feeling stupid. Virgil blinked down at the tin foil wrapped platter. 

“Uh, thanks Pat, that’s great…” He took the dish carefully. “You wanna come in?” 

“Yeah, sure.” He blew in, smile starting to strain, feeling his fingers start to shake.  _ Replaced. _ His mind was screaming at him.  _ Replaced, replaced, replaced, replaced-  _ He didn’t let the thoughts linger, doing his best to force them out of his head. The house was clean and well maintained, with all the glossy edges of a successful family. Patton wandered down the hallway as Virgil closed the door, taking in carefully hung pictures. There was Thomas. Small and scared, looking at the camera with trepidation. There was his brother, not quite Virgil or Thomas standing in his pajamas and holding a guitar up for inspection. And there was Virgil, scowling and smiling while he stretched out on the lawn. All the years Patton had missed. Displayed like art. 

“Mom made lasagna.” 

Patton jumped, glad he wasn’t still holding the cookies. 

“Oh, really? Well that’s, that’s…” His mind scrabbled but he couldn’t even think of a  _ bad _ pun. He finally settled on. “I like pasta!” said with more cheer than it needed and a further stretching of lips. 

“Patton, relax, they’re gonna love you.”  

“I know that! We’re all good here, I mean, who doesn’t love my  _ Patton- _ ded  _ Patton-  _ ality…” He was shaking his head even as he said it, but it made Virgil smirk and bump their shoulders together. 

“Come on Pat.” He led the way down the hall. “Come meet the parents.” 

 

Patton sat stiffly in his chair, trying not to fidget too much. He’d shaken Virgil’s father’s hand and waved at his mother where she stood at the stove and they’d both smiled and greeted him and looked at him like they weren’t sure what to make of him. Now Mr. Thomas was mixing a salad and Mrs. Thomas was pulling the dinner out of the oven and Virgil and him were sitting at the table saying nothing. It sucked a bit. 

The lasagna smelled amazing. And Virgil’s parents were both friendly and sweet and he had never had a problem talking to Virgil before. Well… not recently at least. But now… now it felt like he was poking his nose in other people's business, trying to carve a place for himself where there wasn’t room. He was Thomas brother. He would always be Thomas brother. But was he Virgil’s? Or was he just ‘quirky friend Patton I was related to a long time ago’. He wiggled his toes wondering if he was stepping on someone else’s. 

“So, uh, Patton, Virgil’s told us a lot about you.” 

“Oh, really?” He laughed and his fork clinked too loud against his plate. Had he told them about Patton his brother? Or Patton his friend? Both? How much? Virgil’s mother wouldn’t look at him. He tried smiling at her all evening and she always turned away, playing with the food on her plate. He wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong, but he wanted to fix it. This was Virgil’s family. Thomas’ family. He wanted to be a part of it. But he knew that there wouldn’t really be a place for him here. This was Virgil’s place. Patton was an intruder in his brother’s life and the knowledge hurt him. 

“What- uh- what did he say?” He traded glances with Virgil and the younger boy’s smile helped to take some of the pain out of his chest. 

“All good things, don’t worry.” His father laughed deep in his chest, smile warm and welcoming and kind. “Right hun?” 

“Yeah.” In contrast Virgil’s mother’s expression was tight, her lips pinched hard together, eyes never leaving her lasagna. Patton grinned till it hurt. 

“Well, this food is delicious!” He scooped an extra large bite into his mouth, regretting it when sauce dribbled down his chin. What would they think? He was so stupid. He couldn’t even eat right! Virgil laughed, offering him a napkin. 

“Try and keep the food in your mouth Pat, geez.” He tried to smile and more marinara shot past his teeth. Virgil thought it was hilarious but Patton could feel his blush rising as he slapped a napkin to his mouth. At any other point it might not have bothered him. Patton liked food. And sometimes that translated into messy eating. But not in front of Virgil’s parents. Not when his mother so clearly didn’t like him. He swallowed too soon and started coughing. Virgil was pounding on his back immediately, leaning across the table to look at him concern. 

“Don’t kill yourself Pat, are you okay?”

“Totally.” He coughed the word out as the weight of the food disappeared from the center of his chest, leaving the weight of his mortification behind. “I just..” He gestured at his mouth. “Too full, haha, need to slow down, but this is just so darn delicious!” He forked up another mouthful, making sure it was more reasonably sized and ate it quickly, barely taking the time to chew. “Mm-mm-mm, so good, I could eat it forever, but ya’ know it’s getting pretty late and I should probably go...so.” He stood up, smiling, smiling never stop smiling. Virgil stood up with him, his face pinched and dark in a way that Patton hated. 

“Pat, it’s barely seven. What’s wrong?” 

“Wha-?  _ Nothing. _ ” Patton’s smile was fake and stretched. He laughed, but it didn’t sound right.. “Of course. Why would anything be wrong?” 

“You’re acting weird.” Virgil frowned at him while his parents stared, his mother put down her fork and for some reason it felt like an accusation. He was disrupting dinner. He was breaking up the family. Not his family. Virgil’s family. 

“I’m always weird!” He made sure to say it in a happy way, smile, smile, smile. 

“Weirder than usual.” Virgil allows, still frowning. “What’s going on?” 

“Nothing! Just don’t want to wear out my welcome, that’s all, I know I can be hard to handle in large doses.” He chortles a bit. Virgil’s parents are sharing a look.

“Patton- who...who told you that?” Virgil reaches out and his hand curls around Patton’s own. Patton was already uncomfortable, but now it’s ten times worse. He doesn’t want his brother to pity him. He has never wanted anybody to pity him. He wants to pull his hand back, but he won’t. He won’t do that to his brother.

“Well, nobody told me. Not in so many words, but I got the message pretty good over the years let me tell ya’.” His tone is light, his smile is easy, this all happened a long time ago, Patton is past it… He is. I mean, maybe there are nights when he feels lonely and he remembers every disregarding glance, every frustrated huff, every ‘shut up’ that was thrown at him growing up. But that’s not a big deal. It doesn’t happen much anymore. It doesn’t matter.  _ Patton  _ doesn’t matter. He knows that. The best he can do is be there for the people that do. 

“Patton.” Virgil’s dad stands as he speaks and the table jerks, his voice isn’t hard or mean, just loud and Patton is usually so much better, but he flails, his hands coming up to protect his face even as he’s putting himself in front of his brother.

The room is too quiet and Patton hates himself. Virgil’s parents are both staring at him and he tries to laugh it away, it’s nothing, nothing, but the noise gurgles in his throat and he can feel tears threatening, his face so hot he expects it to steam. 

“Patton.” Virgil’s arms curl around his neck. They’re almost the same height and that’s strange. He used to be so small. “ _ What’s wrong? _ ” There’s no accusation. Just fear. Clear and startling. 

“I’m sorry.” The words feel too small. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes and now I ruined everything. And your dad is so nice and I just got scared and it’s not his fault!” He laughs and it sounds like choking. “It’s not his fault, it’s nobody’s fault and I am so sorry to do this to you Virgil- I ruined your nice family dinner- I’m always screwing everything up, but I didn’t mean to screw this up- I just wanted to be family again because I love you and I missed you and I know nobody really  _ wants  _ me around but I thought if I was really good your family wouldn’t mind so much, but than I spilled pasta sauce on the table and your dad probably hates me and your mom can’t even  _ look  _ at me and-” He cuts himself of as another thin pair of arms wraps around him and he hadn’t realized he’d closed his eyes but it’s dark and all he can smell is Virgil and the new pair of arms. They smell like a mom. Not his mom. His mom had smelled of paint and clay and kindergarteners. But  _ a  _ mom. Patton blinks his eyes open but he doesn’t move, a body pressing in on either side of him. 

“Patton.” Virgil’s voice is small and shaky and it seems like all anyone can say is his name. “Nobody hates you.” Patton can’t help the shrug and Virgil’s mother squeezes him harder.

“I’m so sorry I made you feel that way Patton, I do not hate you I promise.” There are tears in her voice and Patton holds as still as he can. “I love you so much sweetie.” 

“W-uh?” He blinks in confusion as Virgil pulls back, lets his mom twist Patton around to look in his eyes.

“You kept my Virgil safe. You did so much for him, and I just feel so  _ guilty. _ ” And that...well, that just doesn’t make any sense.

“Uh.. but you didn’t  _ do  _ anything…” Patton offered a wavering smile but the woman just shook her head sadly, tears beading on her cheeks. 

“ _ Exactly. _ ” There’s venom in her voice but it isn’t directed at anyone, or if it is it’s directed at her. “When we adopted Virgil- before we’d adopted him, really- they told us he came from a bad situation. The sort you never want to see a child in. But nobody would tell us anything. We asked what we could but.. The most we were ever told was that he’d been in an abusive household with his uncle and his older brother.” She stopped and everyone looked at Virgil for a moment, he hunched his shoulders and fidgeted, blushing slightly. “He was such a sweet little boy, so sad and so serious.” 

“Virgil was always serious.” His chest tightened as he said it, thinking of his little four year old brother sitting in a hard backed plastic chair down in a police precinct, staring at his shoes with a somber expression while Patton went back to ID their parents. Virgil’s mother tried to smile and Patton smiled back, small and uncertain. 

“When Verg told us that his brother had died.” Mr. Thomas continued, coming to pull his wife close against his side. “That he’d been killed by their uncle- we believed him.” 

“We had nobody who would tell us any differently.” Her tears were coming in earnest now and Patton was very uncomfortable, he hated for anyone to cry. “When I think of the life you must have lived, after what you did for my son...and we...we could have made it better for you… we could have taken you in, to be with your brother. If we had known you were alive… We should have looked into it, we should have done more and Patton,  _ I’m so sorry… _ that we didn’t.” 

Patton blinked, looking at the family, the strangers, crying over his life. The people that had saved his brother in a time when Patton couldn’t. 

“Don’t be.” He smiles big and its genuine. As genuine as he can make it. “You did everything I could have asked of you- you helped Thomas- uh, Virgil- you saved him. I love you guys.” He wraps himself around them and squeezes as hard as he can- doesn’t let himself think about it, just does it. “And don’t you worry about little old me-” He pulls back, flippant again, the knot of tension in his gut bleeding out a little. “I’m fine. I had a great life.” Not true. But Patton doesn’t think about it and there are always people who lived with worse. “Mrs. Kingston had a dog- I mean, come on. It doesn’t get any better than that, am I right?” 

The parents are smiling, small but comforted, holding each other tight. He feels Virgil’s hand on his arm. 

“Come on Pat, let’s break out the cookies and than we can watch a show or something. You guys want to pick something out?” This Virgil directs at his parents. 

“Sure buddy.” Still uncertain and holding each other they move out of the room. Virgil holds Patton in place and watches them go. When they’ve disappeared into the next room Virgil looks at him, too serious. 

“Why do you do that Patton?” 

“Do what?” His stomach jumps and he’s afraid again. Because what if Virgil hates him? What did he do? How does he fix it? 

“Play everything off like it’s no big deal. Likes it a joke.” 

“I don’t-” 

“Your life’s not a joke.” Patton blinks at his brother, at his too deep frown. 

“Virgil, buddy, it’s okay.” 

“No its not. Shit happened to you Patton, don’t tell me it didn’t. Why don’t you ever talk about it? Wouldn’t it help?” 

“I...I don’t know. I’ve never… it’s in the past now Virgil I don’t really see the point of-” 

“Don’t you think it would make you feel better?” 

“I feel fine kiddo.” He smiles but Virgil’s face is still stormy, almost petulant. 

“I just… I don’t get it. You can’t be this happy all the time. Nobody could.” And that… well…”So why do you do it? Why is everything a joke?” 

The house feels too quiet for a moment. Virgil’s parents a whisper in the background. Virgil stares at him. Not angry. Hurt. And Patton hates that and for a moment he doesn’t understand. He’s tried so hard to keep Virgil happy. But… well. Maybe that’s the problem. He’s hiding himself from Virgil. The way Virgil had hidden himself from Patton- except totally different. And he remembers how that hurts. So he takes a breath. Looks at his shoes. Actually thinks for a moment. 

“It- it wasn’t great. Growing up...alone.” He flinches and Virgil does the same. “I was really too old for anybody to really  _ want  _ me. I jumped around a lot. I don’t know why but folks didn’t seem to care too much for the ‘happy Pappy’ routine...the other kids liked it though.” His lips twitch up for a moment. “It started with you. After… but you weren’t the only sad kid in the world Verge. And I thought, if I could make those kids  _ less sad  _ for a little while- well why not? Smiling's not so hard when you’re doing it for someone else.” He proved it with a grin. “After awhile it was just...easier. I mean, why make someone sad when you can make them happy instead, am I right?” For the second time that day Virgil wraps him up in a hard hug. Patton clutches back, not used to so much affection and determined not to miss out on a moment of it. 

“You’re great Pat.” Verge whispers it into his neck and Patton smiles into his ear. “Now help me with the cookies.” 

“Alright-  _ wafer  _ you say. Get it? Cause a wafer is a kinda cookie.” 

Virgil laughed and Patton beamed, because it might take time before he was one hundred percent comfortable. But there was no denying he was with family. 

**Author's Note:**

> Lightseed and Lyth wanted Patton and Virgil hanging out and catching up... this is as close as I could get... I'm sure I'll take another stab at it eventually, but hopefully this scratched some of that itch? Prompts for this Verse welcome.


End file.
